Pep Guardiola's Man City verdict at Aston Villa, injury woe, Erling Haaland criticism, defining problem

Manchester City's woeful run of form continued as the Blues slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime.

The hosts scored early through Jhon Duran before City old boy Morgan Rogers added a second after the break. Phil Foden's injury time strike for City was nothing more than a consolation as Pep Guardiola's side dropped below Villa in the table.

The Blues have now won just one of their last 12 games, losing nine, in what is a catastrophic drop off in form heading into the Christmas period. Here's what Guardiola had to say after the Villa Park loss.

How do you explain the result and form?

"Congratulations to Aston Villa. The first half was better than the beginning, the first two minutes were not good but then we made a really good first half. It wasn't good in the second. We dropped, maybe because I changed the pressing to adapt the quality for our captain, and we struggled to do what we had done in the first half really well with Jack in the final third.

"It's not easy because Kamara covered the pockets really well, six players in the back, defensively strong, physicality and transition with Morgan and the other guys but the first half was much better. The first half was better than we played against United, the second was not good enough, we lose again. Recover, stay positive, thanks to some players for the pride they showed on the pitch today and how they want to help with the difficulties."

Harder for you to keepspirits high as this run goes on?

"It's about results. We don't have a defence, the results are not good. It's not about me, it's about what I can do with my people to get the results back to continue and hopefully the players will be back step-by-step and we can continue to do that."

Do you question yourself?

"Yeah of course."

Six changes today - disappointed no change in performance?

"The first half we performed well, the second half was not as good as the first half but I'm not disappointed in the performance of the starting XI."

Wanting players back but no time to recover?

"It has happened since three months ago so nothing has changed. We have to deal with that. We started good, it's not an easy place to come this season in the Premier League and today we played much better than we played here last season. We take the positives and reflect. We have players that when I can see them before, during, and after how they behave I can feel pride and let's go, next one. Now it's over. Recovery, see how many players are able to play the next game and try to do it against Everton."

Just 'some' players showing pride?

"I never point at players in nine years and I never will do because it would be easy for me to do that but it would be completely wrong. We dropped as a team in the second half but not from any particular player. They want to do it and I have to find the balance between scoring more goals and not conceding."

Morgan Rogers, he is some player?

"Absolutely. Do you know what happened? Some players were in a team who won the Treble and the Quadruple. It's about the right tempo and the right time that can give a chance. Everybody knows how good Morgan is and a lot of players who we loan or sell are but he was in that age where at that moment we had the players that we had that allowed us to create more success in eight years in the history of our club. Comparing to these 40 days are not good.

"At some point when they are arrive they are two or three years younger and there is Kevin in their prime and Bernardo and Riyad and Leroy and Raheem and sometimes it's difficult. it's the only reason why. This situation right now, of course these players would be with us but it was in the right moment. I'm happy for him because He's a lovely guy and he exploded into a top class player. England have another exceptional player

Haaland has been critical with himself - he said he's not been good enough

"I don't agree with him. Without him he would be even worse but I like players to be that way. It's the only chance we have to get better. There are two options: like I judge myself, the only other situation is blame your side. That depends on them. I don't agree with Erling because he tried and he needs to be delivered the right balls in the right spots but now we recover and we fight for the next one."

Stones tactical sub?

"I would say I'm not in the right moment to make tactical and creative changes with some players and where they are at. There is a moment where I cannot overthink things right now. I try to be simple, go to the principles to give certainty to the team and the players of what they can do offensively and defensively. This is one of the points. He can't because he said in the last 10 minutes again he had the disturbance that he had in the last month."

Injury cycle repeating itself

"It's three months. Manu made efforts with a few training sessions and came here and played 90 minutes, Kova the same. I substituted Kova because the game was not right and we had four days and we had a substitution for him. He's been out for one month after the international break with Croatia...It's the same. We know that.

"We have to play the games with the players that we have, we have to perform for 90 minutes with what we have done in the first half that was really good. They had two set-pieces and are stronger with physicality but we bring the team. Jack was so active, Phil and Gundo and Erling and Kova and Rico sometimes arrived in the positions. We concede transitions but not a lot.

"In the second half we could not continue stable and it's happened a lot this season. We are not consistent. We have really good periods - Sporting the first half and Brighton the first half and many games we start really well but after we are not consistent for many reasons and that is the situation we have to deal with. I look forward to Everton."

Transitions - first goal. That down to personnel?

"I would say it was a good action. Emiliano Martinez made a good pass for Tielemans, Tielemans turned well, John is a bit late, Kova didn't follow the action from Morgan but sometimes it's more difficult to follow but I give more credit for Aston Villa making the action.

"The second half we were not as aggressive in that action. They arrived more times in our box, they made a lot of passes, they linked diagonal balls behind our holding midfielders with Tielemans, Duran and Morgan that didn't happen in the first half. In the second half we suffered something and it was not good. Sometimes I give credit because the opponent are good and they are stronger and they dribble you and win the duels. It happened for the lack of depth and lot of minutes and specific players that we have now and sometimes we struggle in those positions and after you have to run a little bit more.

"But the way we played in the first half I like it. We didn't create much but we had the Josko action, two or three shots from Jack. But it is obvious that we did not score the goals that we scored in the past and we concede the chances and the goals that we did not concede in the past. When that happens, that's the reason why you lose games. We are not solid on the ball, we are not creating much and that defines the team right now - it's not what we were in the last eight years and we have to accept it. It's the best way and the players have to know exactly the reason why and try next game."